Yunus aide says should occupy Northeastern India, Bangladesh distances from ex-army chief’s call

A former Bangladeshi army officer's incendiary Facebook post has sparked diplomatic ripples just as regional tensions simmer. Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, once tapped by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus for a high-level investigative role, has suggested that Bangladesh should ally with China to seize India's northeastern states if Delhi retaliates against Pakistan for the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The interim government has quickly moved to disavow the remarks.

In a Facebook post written in Bengali, Rahman declared, "If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy the seven states of Northeastern India." He added, "I think it is necessary to start discussions with China on a joint military arrangement in this regard."

Rahman’s remarks come despite his recent appointment by the Yunus-led interim government as chairman of the National Independent Commission probing the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles mutiny.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on May 2 firmly distancing the government from Rahman’s comments. "The comments do not reflect the position or policies of the government of Bangladesh, and as such, the government neither endorses nor supports such rhetoric in any form or manner," it said.

The ministry urged the public and media not to link Rahman's personal views to the state, reiterating that Bangladesh remains committed to "sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual respect, and the peaceful coexistence of all nations," according to the *Dhaka Tribune*.

Tensions have been steadily building. In March, Yunus raised eyebrows in China by stating that the seven northeastern Indian states — landlocked and bordering Bangladesh — could only access the ocean via his country. At a business forum, he positioned Bangladesh as the "only guardian" of the Indian Ocean in the region, inviting Beijing to route goods globally through Dhaka.

India responded in April by revoking a key transshipment facility that had allowed Bangladeshi exports to pass through Indian ports and airports to the Middle East, Europe, and other markets. Only trade with Nepal and Bhutan was exempted, in accordance with WTO rules for landlocked countries.

India-Bangladesh relations have deteriorated sharply following Yunus’ inability to curb rising attacks on minorities since the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in August last year.